Rob Lowe Starred In Two Stephen King Miniseries That Defined ’90s And 2000s TV Horror

Some Stephen King adaptations are better suited to the television format, especially the various miniseries series. Notable entries include Tommy Lee Wallace’s poignant rendition of “It” and the underrated but effective “Storm of the Century,” among others. But if we turn our attention to the miniseries adaptations of “The Stand” and “Salem’s Lot” — which came out in 1994 and 2004, respectively — Rob Lowe emerges as the (surprisingly) common thread between the two. The star of “The West Wing” may not be generally associated with the horror genre, but Lowe has starred in not just one movie, but one two The essential Stephen King adaptations that shaped television horror and its cutting-edge vignettes.

King was personally involved in director Mick Garris’s “The Stand” (he also had a minor role in the series), which was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards in 1994. Although it doesn’t comprehensively capture the brilliance of King’s multi-layered novel, it makes good use of its star-studded ensemble to bring this surreal, epic tale to life. Here, a military-created bioweapon with a high mortality rate breaks containment, causing civilization to fall at a staggering rate. But some remain immune, forced to survive in a horrific wasteland claimed by opposing forces of good and evil. Lowe plays Nick Andros, a young drifter who survives the outbreak and plays an integral role in the events of the show.

In TNT’s version of “Salem’s Plot,” Lowe plays writer Ben Mears, who recounts the horrific events that occur in the Jerusalem Plot after his return home. This is a fairly straightforward adaptation that sticks to the source material – a worthwhile effort except for the clunky opening where Meyers repeatedly babbles about the titular location. Whatever changes director Mikael Salomon has made, they’re inspired enough to fit comfortably into King’s creepy, vampire-filled world.

While a vampire story like “Salem’s Lot” hinges on visceral terror/competent character portrayal, it’s the atmospheric dread that ultimately does most of the heavy lifting. The TNT version understands this, which is why the action takes place in a desolate winter environment, where the Marsden house emits an aura that is palpable even to those passing by. Occupied by the vampire Barlow (Rutger Hauer) and his human caretaker Strucker (Donald Sutherland), this house looks suitably picturesque and moody, complementing the fantastical nature of the premise.

Salomon also ramps up the brutality, leaning into the grisly details that precede the vampire attacks and nasty falls down the stairs. The talented cast ties everything together, with Lowe slipping into the role of a haunted artist well, and the Hauer-Sutherland duo brilliantly displaying the hypnotic tranquility of the darkness that their characters embody.

As for “The Stand” by director Garris, the series opts for a slow pace, which ultimately works to the benefit of the characters no Do it until the end. We end up caring about (almost) everyone along with our main heroes, including everyman Stu Redman (Gary Sinise), sociology professor Glenn Bateman (Ray Walston), and suave Tom Cullen (Bill Fagerbakke). Lowe’s Nick can be grouped with them, of course, because they represent a brand of morality radically different from villain Randall Flagg (Jamie Sheridan), who is the show’s literal embodiment of evil.

This version of “The Stand” has some glaring flaws, but it’s the kind of dated and hackneyed adaptation that’s still worth watching today. It’s also not subtle, because the source material itself isn’t wired that way — it’s a dense, sprawling examination of good versus evil that unambiguously emphasizes who you should be rooting for.